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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Bart9349, post: 2209899, member: 5682&quot;]What an interesting and educational thread from the past.</p><p><br /></p><p>I recently received two coins and they inspired me to do some research on the Elymais Kingdom (approximately 147 BCE to AD 224).</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]431597[/ATTACH]</p><p>Bronze drachm, vant Haaff 13.3.2-2B; diameter about 15 mm, obverse long bearded bust facing wearing diademed tiara with crest of rays; to right, pellet inside crescent above anchor with single crossbar; reverse dashes [ATTACH=full]431598[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]431600[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Elymais is a mostly forgotten kingdom located near the Persian Gulf in the present-day region of Khuzestan (Susiana), in southwestern Iran.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]431601[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>To better understand the significance of these coins, I had to review some Parthian history.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Parthian Empire was a decentralized feudal state with many semi-autonomous states under its control (including Elymais, Armenia, and Edessa). This contrasts with the later Sassanian Empire that was more centralized, more autocratic, less tolerant of other cultures, and more belligerent toward the Roman Empire.</p><p><br /></p><p>Elymais was a vassal state, client-Kingdom under Arsacid Parthia. They enjoyed relative freedom until the rise of the Sassanian Empire that would conquer Parthia around AD 227.</p><p><br /></p><p>In the Parthian Empire, either the local dynasty was retained or some other acceptable ruler was installed. Armenia was ruled by a member of the Arsacid family (many times with the approval of Rome).&nbsp; Vassal kings remained at least briefly in Characene, Elymais, and Persis as well as in some city-kingdoms such as Hatra and Osroene. Only Characene, Elymais, and Persis were permitted to strike coins while under Parthian control, however.</p><p><br /></p><p>Some references interpret the symbolism on the obverse of the coins. The thought is that the anchor harkens back to the Seleucid Empire and the star in the crescent pays homage to the more ancient Achaemenid dynasty. This iconography is well seen on Ancientnoob&#039;s excellent coin from an earlier post:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]431602[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>An interesting thread on the Seleucid anchor:</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://www.seleukidempire.org/seleukidanchors.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.seleukidempire.org/seleukidanchors.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.seleukidempire.org/seleukidanchors.htm</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Reportedly, the Elymais Kingdom was known for their archers. Perhaps they contributed forces to the famous Parthian archers who decisively defeated the Roman General Crassus at the Battle of Carrhae in 53 BCE.</p><p><br /></p><p>Thank you, again, for this great thread.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here&#039;s an excellent article on the coins of Elymais:</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/elymais" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/elymais" rel="nofollow">http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/elymais</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>guy[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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